Foundations and exterior walls of buildings often experience water problems due to a variety of causes. When exterior walls that are below grade are constructed, the surrounding soil must be removed prior to construction. The soil is then replaced after the foundation and walls are complete. As a result, the exterior walls can become damaged as soil settles outside of the foundation. A negative grade sloping toward the exterior walls can also be formed due to such settling. With the negative grade, the force of gravity causes water and soil to move toward the walls, which can create positive hydrostatic pressure. This pressure can cause cracking of, and seepage through, the exterior walls and floor allowing moisture to enter the building.
Additional water problems can be caused by water accumulating around and under walls and foundations. This can be caused by, for example, rising ground water during rainy parts of the year. All of these sources are especially prevalent in basements and crawl spaces. When water enters a dwelling, regardless of source, many problems arise, including, among other things, damage to the physical structure of the dwelling and a decrease in indoor air quality.
Conventional systems exist to control or direct water seepage thorough the interior walls of a structure. These systems often require extensive time and/or extensive modification of the structure to install. A rainy season, flooding, and other factors can create a backlog for service providers attempting to provide water mitigation services. This can create a situation in which water sits inside the dwelling for extended periods until the service provider can affect the necessary repairs.
Standing water inside a dwelling can create health problems related to, for example, mold, mildew, bacteria, viruses, and insects (e.g., mosquitoes). Water inside the structure can also cause structural problems. The problems can include, among other things, wood rot and fastener corrosion. Owners may spend thousands of dollars drying structures to prevent such damage, only to have the structure flooded again before a service provider can affect a permanent repair.